Carbon shifter



Sept. 24, 1940. A, ET 'E I 2,216,041

CARBON SHIFTER Filed Jan. 29, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. w. METZNER Sept. 24, 1940 CARBON SHIFTER' Filed Jan. 29, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 24 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARBON SHIFTER Albert W. Metzner, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to John Q. Sherman, Dayton, Ohio Application January 29, 1934, Serial No. 708,790

21 Claims.

roll and thence past a writing position; and the transfer material thereafter latively retracted preparatory to repetition of e feeding operation, and more particularly to means for relieving the binding pressure of the record strips upon the interleaved transfer material when disposed about the platen roll and so release the latter for re-. traction while maintaining the superposed record strips in registry in their advanced position. .In the present invention there is contemplated means for engaging the record material with the rotary platen independently of. the transfer material at the end of each writing operation whereby upon a slight partial reverse rotation of the platen roll, the tension upon the record strips will be relaxed and an accumulation of slack effected therein adjacent to the platen roll to permil: free withdrawal of the transfer material. In the present embodiment, such record engaging material is illustrated as operative alternately with the customary pressure feeding rolls cooperating with the platen roll to feed the manifolding assembly, and as controlled by the same finger control or throw-out lever, although the invention is not necessarily so 11 ited nor. the parts so related. j-

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the meansand mode of operation of such devices, whereby they will not only be cheap in construction, but will be more efllcient in use, capable of rapid operation, uniform in action, and unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to provide record material holding means operable alternately with the usual pressure feeding rollers of 40 an ordinary writing machine, whereby the record material may be retained in its adjusted position relative to the platen roller of the writing machine, while the transfer material is thereby released for retraction,

A further object of the invention is to provide means applicable to an ordinary friction feed type writing machine for releasing the transfer means for maintaining superposed portions of record material in their adjusted relation with each other and with the platen roll of awritlng (c1. 191+1zc) machine while the frictional pressure rollers employed for feeding such material about the platen roll are in an inoperative position.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view, as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

wherein is shown the preferred but obviously not,

necessarily the onlyform of embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is-a perspective view of a portion of a conventional form of writing machine, showing the preferred embodiment of the carbon shifter apparatus, forming the subject matter hereof, employed thereto. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the writing machine, showing the platen roller and-the alternately engageable pressure rollers cooperating therewith. Fig. 3 is an end elevation; showing the platen roll and cooperating frictional pressure rollers for feeding record material about the platen roller as,

embodied in a well known and conventional form of writing machine, and further illustrating in I association therewith an auxiliary record material engaging roller illustrated in its inoperative position. Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing the.

parts illustrated in Fig. 3 in their alternate position wherein the auxiliary pressure roller is in cooperative relation with the platen roller, and the frictional feeding rollers are disengaged therefrom. Fig. 5 is a detail view. Fig. 6 illustrates a modification. Fig. 7 illustrates a further variation wherein the feeding and holding means for the manifolding material may be independently adiusted.- f a Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views While in the drawings the invention has been shown for illustrative purposes as applied to a conventional form of typewriter of well known manufacture, it is to be understood that it is not limited to this particular style or make of writing machine, but is applicable to writing, billing, and recording machines of various forms which embody a platen roller and cooperating frictional pressure rollers for feeding record material about the platen roller and past a. writing position,

Referring to the drawings, l indicates a writing machine which may be of any style or construction, of which 2 is the rotary platen roll, about which superposed plies of record material 3 and interleaved sheets of transfer material 4 are fed in unison past the writing position 5 by means of frictional pressure rollers 6 which bear upon the manifolding assembly disposed about the platen roll 2 and cooperate therewith to effect progressive advancement'of the material by rotation of the platen roll.

In the conventional form of, construction adapted for illustrative purposes, the pressure feeding rollers 6 are carried upon swinging arms I and 8, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and are spring actuated intr frictional engagement with the record material disposed about the platen roll 2. The adjacent ends of the swinging arms I and 8 extend into overlapping relation in such conventional construction whereby the movement of one of the arms and roller carried thereby away from the platen roll 2 will eflect a like disengaging movement of the other pressure roller and its mounting arm. Such retractive movement into inoperative relation is effected against the: tension of the pressure springs 9 by means of a manually operated throw-out lever l0 pivoted at I l and having therein a cam slot i2, within which engages a roller i3 carried by one arm ll of a bell crank lever, the other arm Ii of which engages with a curved beak or projection I at the extremity of the pressure roller mounting arm 8.

Uponswinging movement of the throw-out lever I0 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that illustrated in Fig. 4, the bell crank lever il-l! is depressed, thereby depressing the swinging arm 2 away from the platen roll 2. Theopposite end of the swinging arm 8 has operative engagement with the swinging arm' I through a projection or stud i1 whereby the arm I is oscillated in unison with the movement of the arm 2, to likewise withdraw the second pressure roller 6. 4s illus trated in Fig. 2 these pressure rollers 8, cooper-v ating with the platen roll 2 to frictionally feed the manifolding material thereabout upon r0- tation of the platen roll, usually consists of a succession of relatively short spaced roll sections interconnected with each other for unison rotation. However, such friction roller 0 may, if de-' sired, be continuous.

The usual line spacing mechanism is provided for advancing the platen roll 2 through step by step movement, which line spacing mechanism is controlled by the manually operable lever it.

As thus far described. the construction is that 1 of a'c'onventional writing machine to which the present invention has been applied.

. Associated with the frictional feeding rollers 8 are a pair of additional rollers 20, of which one roller is mounted at each end and beyond one of the rollers 6 and cooperative with the platen roll 2 for marginally clamping the superposed plies of record material therebetween beyond the margins of the transfer material which, as. shown in Fig. '1 is of less 'width than the' record material. These aamping rollers are carried at each end of the platen roll 2 by extensions 2| of the swin in arms 1. Thus the roller mounting for the pressure rollers i and 20, comprising the swinging portions 1 and 2|, becomes a rocking lever, as shown in detailin Fig. 5, upon one end of which is carried one of the frictional feeding rollers 6 and at the other end of which is carried the pressure clamping roller 20. These rollers are brought into cooperative relation alternately with the platen roll 2 by the rocking movement of such lever. The movement of the throw-out lever i0 from its position shown in Fig. 3 to that illustrated in Fig. 4 necessary to disengage the feeding rollers 6 by the same movement of the parts effects cooperative relation of the clamping roller 22 and the platen roll 2. By arresting the throw-out lever II in an intermediate position. all of the roller: 8 and 20 are temporarily held in spaced relation with the platen roll 2 to enable relative sliding adjustment of the record material to bring the several plies thereof into proper registering relation with each other and to adjust the writing lines thereof relative to the line spacing mechanism so that the inscribed data may appear at predetermined to pressure and are advanced in unison by the cooperative action of the rotary platen roll 2 and such pressure rollers 6. Upon reversal of the throw-out lever II to the position shown in Fig. 4, the rollers 6 being retracted, the record material only is engaged by the rollers 20 to hold the superposed plies of record material in their adjusted relation with the platen roll while the interleaved transfer material, from which pressure has been removed by retraction of the feeding rollers 6, is retracted into registry with a succeeding portion of the superposed plies of record material preparatory to the next unison'feeding operation. As heretofore described this operation is facilitated by a slight reverse partial rotation of the platen roll preparatory to retraction .of the transfer material, whereby the tension of the record strips will be relaxed and sufllcient slack accumulated therein .to permit the free withdrawal of the transfermaterial from about the platen roll.

To facilitate the retraction of the interleaved transfer sheets, there is carried upon the writing machine an upwardly and rearwardly extending frame comprising side bars 22 detachably conheated at u with suitable brackets 24 carried by the platen carriage of the writing machine and interconnected at their upper ends by a transverse rod 25 over which the superposed piles of record material are fed from a supply thereof at the rear of the machine. Mounted upon the side bars 22 for to and fro reciprocatory travel is a transfer sheet carrier 22 having pins or fingers 21 projecting therefrom upon which transfer sheet hanger bars 28 are removably supported intermediate the plies of record material. Such carrier is also preferably, though not nece sarily. Provided with guide pins 29 projecting at each side of the manifolding assembly for maintaining proper alignment thereof. The traveling carriage 26 is maintained uniformly in parallel positions of adjustment throughout its range of movement by means of cables 30 connected with the traveling carriage and passing over guide pul-' leys ii at each end of the guide frame. Mounted in brackets 22, projecting forwardly from the carrier 26. is a transverse shaft. having a midlength eccentric cylindrical enlargement M which, by rotary motion of the shaft 32, impinges the device, the continued rotation of the platen roll 2 advances the .record material and interleaved transfer material in unison past the writing position, drawing the transfer material carrier 26 downwardly upon the guide frame bars 22 until the terminal printed form or other predetermined portion of the record material has been inscribed.

At this stage, a considerable portion of the manifolding material, comprising both the superposed plies of record material and interleaved sheets of transfer material, will have been advanced past the writing position, and the transfer material carrier 26 will be positioned near the lower end of the guide frame bars 22. It then becomes necessary to retract the interleaved transfer sheets 4 into registry with succeeding portions of the record strips or plies. The throwout lever is then actuated from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4 to thereby retract the frictional feeding rollers 6 out of operative engagement with the record material and the platen roll 2 and to engage with such material the clamping rollers 26 which, as before stated, are projected into engagement with the marginal portions only of the record material 3 beyond the margins of the transfer material 4 of lesser width. This alternate adjustment of the pressure rollers 6 and 20 relieves the pressure upon the transfer material but retains holding pressure upon the record material. By a slight reverse partial rotation of the platen roll 2, through the distanceof one or more line spacing steps of the line'spacer mechanism, the tension upon the record material intermediate the platen roll and the traveling transfer material carrier 26 is relaxed. By grasping the crank handle 36 the operator, by its initial movement, partially rotates the transverse shaft 33 to disengage the eccentric clamping member 34 and thereby release the record material from the traveling carrier and by further movement of the crank arm, the carrier is pushed upwardly upon the guide frame bars 22 until arrested by a suitable adjustable stop 46. This upward movement of the traveling carrier 26 retracts with it the interleaved sheets of transfer material 4 which are drawn between the superposed plies of record material from about the platen roll 2 into registry .with a succeeding portion of the record strips.

with the manifolding assembly whereupon the apparatus and material is ready for a' succeeding writing operation.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a modification wherein a relatively short rocking lever 46, pivoted at 4|, carries at one end thereof a frictional feedin roller 6, and at the opposite end thereofa clamping roller 20. The rocking lever 46 is actuated by the bell crank lever I4l5 engageable with a beak-like projection l6 under influence of the throw-out lever In in the manner before dewithin for general commercial use, it is to be understood that separate independently operable control means for the feeding and holding devices may be utilized. Likewise it is obvious that in lieu of rollers 26 clamping members of other shapes may be substituted. Such modifications are illustrated, in Fig. 7 wherein is illustrated the same arrangement of frictional feeding rollers 6 carried by the swinging arms I and 8 oscillated out of feeding engagement by the bell crank lever l4-I 5 under control of the lever ID, as is shown in pre ceding figures and heretofore described. In the modified construction there is also shown a clamp 'shoe 23, carried by a swinging arm 24 mounted concentrically with the trip lever l0, and engaging the platen roll 2 with the surface of which the clamp shoe conforms. Beyond the pivotal connection a continuation of the swingingarin forms a second trip lever 25. A helical spring 26 is connected at one end to the trip lever 25 in spaced relation with its pivotal connection with its other frame of the platen carriage in like relation. This relation of the spring connections affords a snap-over action, first in one direction and then in the other as the trip lever 25 is oscillated to and fro to carry the spring connection past a dead center relation with the pivotal connection of the trip lever and arm. The spring 26 serves to draw the clamp shoe into firm contact with the platen roller to clamp the record material in lieu of the rollers 26 when the lever is adjustedforwardly and serves to retract the clamp shoe when the lever is moved to reverse direction. Cross reference is made to copending applications Serial Nos. 49,977, 703,694, and also 687,304 since matured into Patent No. 2,063,959. a

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

wWhfle in order to comply with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural featurw, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the pre-,

ferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or. modifications time legitimate and valid scope of the appende claims.

Having thus describedmy invention, I claim: 1. In a typewritingmachine having a rotary platen, frictional feeding means cooperating therewith for circumferentially feeding superposed plies of record material and interleaved sheets of transfer material in unison about the rotary' platen to a writing position, additional frictional means cooperating with the rotary platen for holding the record material in its adjusted relation with the platen independently of the transfer material, means for alternating the engagement of the frictional feeding means and the holding means at the will of the operator, and means for retracting the transfer material around the platen and relative to the record material.

2. In a carbon shifter means for a writing machine wherein a manifolding assembly comprising superposed piles of recordmaterial and interleaved sheets of transfer material are advanced in unison past a writing position and the transfer material relatively retracted periodically preparatory to further unison advance motion. the combination with aplaten roller of a series of pressure rollers cooperating therewith and engageable with, the manifolding material disposed about the platen roller, the intermediate rollers I subjecting both the record and interleaved transfer material to pressure and the outermost rollers of the series subjecting the record material to pressure independently of the transfer material,

and means for alternating the operative engagement of the/outermost and intermediate rollers with the said material.

3. In a transfer sheet shifter means for writing machines having a rotary platen about which superposed plies of record material and interleaved sheets of transfer material of less width than the ment of the transfer material independently of the record material.

4. In a carbon shifter means for writing machines having rotary platens about which superposed plies of record material and interleaved transfer sheets are. advanced in unison to a writing position and the transfer material subsequently retracted relative to the record material preparatory to further advance motion, feedin means .and holding means alternately cooperating with the platen to advance the record and transfer material in unison and to hold the record material during retraction of the transfer material respectively, and means for alternating said feeding and holding means in cooperative relation with the platen.

5. In a carbon shifter means for writing ma-- chines having rotary platens about whic superposed plies of record material and in erleaved transfer sheets are advanced in unison to a writing position and the transfer material subsequently retracted relative to the record material preparatory to further advance motion, pressure means engaging the platen and common to the record and transfer material and additional pressure .means engaging the platen and pertaining to the record material independently of the transfer material, said pressure means being a ternately adjustable into and out of operative relation with the said materials and means for alternating said pressure means.

6. In a carbon shifter means for writing ma-' chines having rotary platens about which superposed" plies of record material and interleaved transfer sheets are advanced in unison to a writing position and the transfer material subsequently retracted relative to the record material preparatory to further advance motion, frictional feed rollers cooperative with the platen for advancing the record and transfer materials in unison, and additional friction rollers engageable with the record iiaterial to hold it against the materials, and throw-out means for alternating the said rollers in operati e relation therewith '7. Ina carbon shifter cans for writing machines having rotary platens about which superposed plies of record material and interleaved transfer sheets are advanced in unison to a writing position and the transfer material subsequently retracted relative to the record material preparatory to further advance motion, feeding means cooperating with the platen for ad vancing the record and transfer material in unison and holding means cooperating with the platen for retaining the record material in its adjusted relation therewith during retraction, of the transfer material, throw-out means for alternating the operative relation of the feeding and holding means with the respective materials, and means for retracting the transfer material relative to the platen and record material during the operative period of the holding means.

8. The herein described method including feeding superposed piles of record material and interleaved sheets of transfer material in unison about a platen roll and past writing position, holding I the record material stationary relative to the platen roll independently of the interleaved transfer material, rotating the platen rolla limited step in a reverse direction thereby relaxing the tension of the record material and thereafter retracting the transfer material relative to the record material and platen roll preparatory to a succeeding unison feeding operation.

. 9. In a writing machine, the combination with a platen roller about which alternating plies of record and transfer material of different widths are adapted to be fed past writing position of two sets of frictional pressure rollers disposed about the platen roller in laterally offset planes of rotation, one set of which is engageable with the plies of record material beyond the margins of the transfer material and the other set of which is engageable within the margins of the transfer material to advance the record and transfer material in unison, and manually operable means being common to all the alternating plies and collectively engageable with the material intermediate the margins to press the same against the platen, and means for alternating the engagement of said rollers with said material.

{11. In a writing machine wherein superposed plies of record material anddnterleaved sheets of transfer material of less width than the record material are advanced in unison about a platen roller of the writing machine and the transfer material periodically retracted independently of the record materialpreparatory to a succeeding unison advance movement, a reciprocatory carrier with which the interleaved transfer material is engageable, a guide structure therefor, clamping means engageable with the record material beyondthe'margins of the transfer material to hold the record material against the platen to prevent retraction during retraction of the transmeans for disengaging the feeding means from said material to enable retraction of the transfer material by retrograde movement of the :carrier.

12. In a writing machine having a platen roll, feeding means for advancing alternating portions of record and transfer material about the platen roll to a writing position, said feeding means engaging the platen and holding means for holding the record material against the platen in advanced position during retractive movement of the transfer material, and manual means for alternating engagement of the feeding and holding means with said material.

13. In a writing machine having a platen roll, feeding means for advancing alternating portions of record and transfer material about the platen roll to a writing position, said feeding means including friction rollers cooperating with the platen and holdingmeans for holding the record material against the platen in advanced position during retractive movement of the transfer material, and interconnecting control means by which the engagement of one of said means with the material effects the disengagement of the other means therefrom.

14. In a carbon shifter means for a writing machine having a platen roll, pressure rollers for advancing alternating portions vof record and transfer material in'unison about the platen roll and adjusting means for rendering the pressure rollers alternately operative and inoperative, clamping means cooperating with the platen. roll for clamping the record material thereto independently of the transfer material during retractivemovement of the transfer material and adjusting means for rendering the clamping means alternately operative and inoperative.

15. In a construction of the character described, a-writing machine including a platen roll and intermittently operable feeding means associated therewith for advancing alternating portions of record and transfer material in unison about the platen roll, characterized by a clamping member coacting with the platen roll to clamp the record material to the platen roll during relative adjustment of the transfer material and means for moving the clamping member into and out of clamping relation with the platen roll.

16. In a construction of the character described, a writing machine including a platen roll about which alternating portions of record and transfer material of different widths are to be advanced in unison past a writing position and feeding means for collectively effecting such advance-v ment, a record material engaging roller means engageable with a lateral margin of the record material only beyond that of the transfer material for fixedly retaining said record material in its adjusted relation with the platen roll while the transfer material is shifted relative thereto and control means for rendering the material engaging roller means alternately operative and inoperative.

17. In a construction of the character described, a writing machine including a platen roll about which alternating portions of record and transfer material of different widths are to be advanced in unison past a writing position and feeding means forifecting such advancement, a

record material engaging roller means in laterally offset relation with the feeding means and engageable with the record material independently of the transfer material for fixedly retaining said record material in its adjusted relation with the platen roll while the transfer material is shifted 'relative thereto and separately operable control tive means may be independently adjusted into and out of operative positions.

18. In a writing machine wherein ing assembly comprising alternating plies of record and transfer material are advanced about a platen roll past a writing position, two sets of frictional pressure means in laterally offset relation and alternately movable into-and out of coacting relation with the platen roll, one of said frictional pressure means being common'to all the plies of the manifolding assembly and coacting with the platen to advance the superposed plies of the assembly collectively past the writing position, the other set of frictional pressure means being engageable with the record material to the exclusion of the transfer material and coacting with the platen to control the movement of the record material independently of the transfer material, and means by which the opera-' tive engagement of the respective frictional pressure devices may be alternated.

19 In a writing machine wherein a manifolding assembly comprising alternating plies of record and transfer material are advanced about a platen roll past a writing position, feeding means for collectively advancing the alternating piles of record and transfer material 'past the writing position, and additional means in laterally offset relation with the feedingmeans coacting with the platen for holding the record material independently of the transfer material while the latter is shifted relative-thereto and means for alternating the operation of the feeding and holding means at the will of the operator.

20. In a writing machine wherein a manifolding'assembly comprising alternating superposed plies of record and transfer material of which the record material is of greater width than the transfer material are advanced about a platen roll past a writing position, alternately operable frictional pressure devices cooperating with the platen roll to operatively engage the said material, one of said devices being engageable only with the record material beyond the lateral mara" manifoldgin of the transfer material and the other of a which is engageable within an area of overlying record and transfer material, and means for alternating the operative engagement of the reof the transfer material while the transfer ma-- 7 terial is shifted relative-to the record material.

ALBERT W. ME'I'ZNER. 

